Tri Dim Shanghai, New York, NY

In a city so great they had to name it twice, New York City, boasting the largest Chinatown outside of China, the lure of Chinese food couldn’t be contained just to one area.  Chinese restaurants have opened all over Manhattan.  Including one, a much-heralded Chinese restaurant on the Upper East Side, Tri Dim Shanghai.  Quantity doesn’t guarantee quality, but when a recommendation was sought, who better to provide the perfect choice than Mee V. Stoogas?  I asked, and my brother came through.

Tri Dim Shanghai is located at 1378 3^rd Ave. New York, NY 10075, in the Upper East Side, in the neighborhood called Yorkville.  Reservations are highly recommended.  And they’re kept!  A table was saved for me and my special guest, Mee Li Nah.

I snuck a peek at the menu, which was nicely framed outside of the restaurant (click on each page to enlarge):

Image viewing tip:  You can click on any image in this post to enlarge it.

We were promptly seated (make those reservations if you don’t want to wait!), and the ordering was left up to me.  Talk about pressure!  Mai Tai’s!!  Mai Tai’s that came conspicuously in a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, from the Chinese Provence of France, in the Rhine Region.  This concludes today’s lessons on geography and viniculture.

We took in the view of the restaurant and liked what we saw.  An ambiance to enjoy exquisite Chinese cuisine, and wine.

It was time to order and eat!

Shanghai Wonton Soup – If wontons could float on air, that’s how light these were, and the pork filling was so flavorful and delicious.  The broth had not a hint of salt, yet it was packed with a nice subtle taste.  If wontons could talk, these would say, “Eat me!”.  We split one bowl, for fear that wonton soup has a tendency to fill you up, but we easily could have had a bowl each.

Beijing Prawns – Prawns marinated in egg white and sauteed in rice wine sauce with snow peas and water chestnuts.  If you have to order one dish, THIS is the one.  Oh My Goodness was this dish fantastic.  Hands down, without a doubt, this dish would receive my vote for a Questie.  If we were still doing those.  WOW!  I don’t know where to start.  The prawns were magnificent.  Just look at them, and you can tell.  Yep, they ain’t lying.  WOW!!  If these prawns were in the Westminster Prawn Show, they would win Best in Show!  I’m just getting started. 

The sweetness and flavor of the snow peas were otherwordly.  I could have these for the rest of my life and be happy. Some snow peas are thin, the peas are minuscule, and they lack presence.  These are not those peas!  The water chestnuts may take a backseat in this dish, but their presence should not be taken for granted.  Put all the ingredients together as they did, and you have got yourself a Questie-worthy dish there my new friends at Tri Dim Shanghai!

Shredded Beef with Leeks and Hot Pepper – Lest you think this restaurant is a sweet shop, this dish will snap you right out of it!  

Packed with some potent hot peppers, this dish will clear your sinuses and pop your pallet.  Please take this with a grain of salt.  I don’t tolerate spicy dishes all that well sometimes; to those who like their spice volume turned way up on the dial, like Mee Li Nah, you may not find this dish as hot as I did.  But, it was so good, I took my time, ate it with plenty of rice, and finished it all.  Long before I was done I looked over at Li Nah’s plate, and either didn’t serve her (I knew I did), or she licked the plate clean (she didn’t really lick it, but she sure as heck didn’t leave anything left over!)

We enjoyed the last of the wine, and our fortune cookies settled the bill and set off into the night.

Reflect on yourself before anyone can look down on you

Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about

Our Rating:

Could this be the gateway restaurant that finally lures the Chinese Quest into New York City, or City, as most refer to Manhattan, and downtown into Chinatown?  If we fall into the rabbit hole, what Chinese restaurants should we review in Chinatown?  Please post your suggestions in the comment box way below this article.

Humbly submitted for your consumption,

—Mee Magnum  (“Chop!  Chop!”)

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